As the Administrator lead the convoy on the last stretch of its parade, Morwen noticed an obstruction ahead. There. That’s where it’ll happen. She knew with certainty when the administrator shifted uncomfortably next to her, like he wanted to flee. Fennex halted the tank well clear of the red truck, blocking their path. She turned to glance at the Administrator.
“You led me to believe we’d be doing this in your park?”
“Yes, that was the plan, but unfortunately the grass was too wet and we had concerns your tanks might sink into the soil too much. We felt it would be best to keep them here on the pavement instead.”
Morwen nodded. Again, it made just enough sense to not be suspicious. Very well. She turned to LT. Fennex. “Have your cannons pan left ninety degrees and max elevation.”
If the Sauridius were going to hit them, it would be by the rooftops of those buildings. Fennex gave her an understanding look and then issued the order. The azimuth systems on the tanks whined a high pitch noise as they swiveled, and the barrels elevated as one group. The Administrator shifted nervously and offered a sheepish smile.
“Would you like to give a speech to the people?”
Morwen frowned. Doing so would mean leaving the tank. She’d expose herself to the attack. But it was necessary. She mentally sighed, then pushed off the ladder inside the turret and emerged from the hatch, gliding down to the ground on a small circular nimbus of violet dark magic that negated gravity. She used a bit of air magic and cast a sound projection spell that would carry her voice to all in attendance.
“People of Hidros. I am Captain Morwen of the Mage Federation. For some time now, your world has been in danger. It still is, in fact. Even now, forces arrayed against you work in secret to undermine and erode your safety.”
The cheers died out, giving way to nervous looks that shifted from face to face. She pressed on, “Your Administrator has summoned us here for a victory parade. He claims we’ve defeated the enemy. But he miscalculates their true strength. What we defeated on the plains was merely a scout force. The enemy’s true strength remains hidden, but I suspect we’ll see it all too soon. For now, I ask that you seek cover. If you have shelter, get to it. Now. Do not delay as every second you waste now is a second you may preciously lose forever.”
Nervous looks and glances gave way to full on fear and the Administrator turned to look at her, frustration etched on his face. “What are you doing?”
“Being honest with them. Something you’ve failed to do for me still.”
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Patton stammered nervously under Morwen’s gaze and then glanced about wildly. On cue, Akamori’s force snapped through the comm line.
“Contact. Nine o’clock high. Two fireteams of dragonkin hatchlings sporting rifles and cannons. Earth magic, by the look of it.”
On cue, hardened spikes of steel rained down from above. Cries rang out as Marines fell under the ferrous hailstorm of metal. Quickly Morwen, paralyzed Administrator Patton, he fell to the ground. The tanks all returned fire as one. Each barrel bucked as a twenty-foot fireball roared from each muzzle. A beat later, each rooftop exploded as the CQC shells burst open, blasting the rooftops with hundreds of small steel pellets that chewed up concrete, steel and dragonkin scale alike. She didn’t want to burn their spells on the hatchlings yet. Not with Shacklers still out there.
Akamori’s team dove into action, strafing the roof top and laying down fire as he and Sala charged into action. It was a solid response until a sea of enormous serpents hit the rear flank. Morwen recognized them as underdeveloped wildlings. Magic creatures were too primal to have sentience yet. With enough time and exposure to the well, it was possible they would develop into Leviathan dragons someday, but only if Morwen could stop the attack. Half the tanks swiveled their turrets, the small crew served guns opening fire on the creatures since the main guns were too powerful to use with the crowds dispersing still. That didn’t stop the creatures from crushing and biting anyone unfortunate enough caught in the way.
Blood coated the sidewalks, benches, small trees and storefronts as the wildlings tore a path through the fleeing crowds, bee lining for the tanks and marines laying down fire. Earth magic bolt spells continued to pour down in the shape of dense, hardened spikes. Most skipped and bounced off the tanks, forcing the marines in the open to huddle up with the tanks for protection.
Morwen’s shields over Fennex’s tank warped and discolored with each other strike, but held firm. Both the main gun and crew-served weapons fired upwards. Brass casings from the smaller machine gun trickled down the side of the tank and clattered on the pavement in a song of jingling metal drowned out by the heavy concussive banging of the shells.
Debris rained down on the streets further ahead, causing panic in the chaos. Morwen lost track of the mage squad as the tank’s main gun bucked again. Morwen drew on her fire magic, grabbing the massive fireball and coating it in fire magic to sustain it, then hurling it into another dragonkin. The small hatchling shrieked, then incinerated to ash. The weapons fire was getting less frequent for the attackers.
“Report!” she said, her voice booming with magic. It echoed off the walls of adjacent buildings, so everyone heard it. She commanded attention and respect. The sound wave hit the walls so hard dust rattled loose from some tall buildings. A few windows even cracked.
“The undead and shackled wildlings are down. Most of the surviving hatchlings are falling back. I’m in pursuit to see if I can get their leader,” Akamori reported.
Morwen nodded curtly, “Good hunting LT.” With a Shackler so close to the city it wouldn’t be wise to let the threat go unanswered. While she was fairly positive they’d hurled everything they could have mustered as hastily as possible, she didn’t like the idea of giving the enemy time to breathe. She wanted them as off balance as she was. From there, it would be a race to see who made the biggest mistake.